Smith and Wesson Shield 9mm Performance Center Reviews
Looking for the perfect concealed carry gun?
I was too until I met the M&P Shield.
The Performance Center Ported One thousand&P Shield has a lot of the things I expect for in a curtained carry handgun.
I'll be covering my feel shooting the Thou&P Shield for the first time, what worked well, and what could exist improved.
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Prices authentic at time of writing
And since by at present the Shield is an older generation, we'll also embrace some skilful substitutes such equally the newest M&P Shield Plus.
See more of our picks in Best Micro 9mms.
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at Kygunco
Prices authentic at fourth dimension of writing
Prices authentic at time of writing
Tabular array of Contents
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Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very pop and proven concealed carry gun
- Upgraded model from the mill (sights and slide)
- Improve trigger feel compared to Glocks
Cons
- Low round count for current generation curtained carry guns at vii+1 or 8+1
- Hi Viz sights not also great for night shooting
- Slide release abrasive to remove for cleaning
The Bottom Line
The M&P Shield used to exist the acme of the line for CCW guns but given two new generations, you might desire to expect elsewhere such as our Best Micro 9mms.
Specs and Features
- Quotient: 9mm
- Capacity: 7+1 or eight+one
- Length: half-dozen.1″
- Barrel Length: 3.i″
- Weight: 20.half dozen oz
Every bit you may accept noticed, the Yard&P9 Shield being reviewed is non the standard model. It's entirely stock from the mill, but it'southward an upgraded model.
Simply looking at it, you'll see two things: the sights and the slide are both different.
The sights are "HI-VIZ" for added visibility in low light situations. I'll talk more than about this later in the review.
Both the barrel and the slide are ported for better performance and less muzzle rise when you are firing. You can more easily reacquire your target. I can assert that information technology was a pretty shine shot overall. I was able to burn a few rounds pretty speedily and accept a decent group.
Background
Like I mentioned before, the M&P Shield is an older generation that came out in 2012 and did quite well with a 7/8+1 capacity and a small footprint.
However newer versions like the Shield M2.0 and most recently, the Shield Plus accept come out (2021) with meliorate chapters, optics readiness, and ergonomics.
But if you're looking at the OG of a great line of guns…read on!
Fit & Experience
The Trigger
The trigger is smoothen and it is a pretty short pull.
The trigger prophylactic has a amend experience than the Glock. The M&P 9 SHIELD trigger is flat where your finger rests and has rounded edges for a comfortable feel.
The trigger condom is a footling unlike than what I am used to. The easiest way to explain it is that the trigger is separated into two sections; a top and bottom. If you pull the trigger too high, the gun won't burn down.
For comparing, the Glock trigger safety is on the front of the trigger. As you lot pull the trigger, you lot depress the safety. The Glock trigger feels blocky compared to the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 SHIELD trigger.
Of course, if you want to upgrade to a unlike trigger, there are a number of compatible Thousand&P driblet-in options out in that location.
The Grip
The length of the grip is a bang-up. It'southward a happy medium between a compact and a sub-compact, even with the flat magazine in it.
If you like a wider grip, this may not be for you, only for me, it works well. The single stack mag still holds 7 rounds, which is respectable for a CCW choice.
The Sights
The night sights are not very functional. No affair the level of light or the fourth dimension spent in the light, they just didn't seem to have whatsoever glow to them. It would have been better to just have white dot sights.
Slide Release
I am not a big fan of the way Smith & Wesson uses the little lever key to hold the slide in place. Information technology'south a pain to remove and reinstall. Information technology makes me not want to clean and oil the gun.
I am sure if you are a frequent shooter and have taken your Southward&Due west apart a lot it might be a little easier, only for the noobie, it will accept some patience and practice to break downwards and reassemble your K&P 9 SHIELD.
Other than those two things, which are kind of small details, the gun is cracking.
How Does Information technology Shoot?
Not having fired this gun or any other Smith & Wesson gun other than a Babysitter .380 (full review) until recently, I didn't know what to expect.
I purposely didn't dry out burn down or practice anything in advance that would give me any indication of where the trigger break would be, the tension, or anything else.
I wanted the experience to be totally new when the commencement round went down range.
When I squeezed the trigger and saw the wink, information technology was encouraging. The hole in the target was just left of center, simply outside the bullseye.
I put more rounds downrange and as long equally I did my job…the Shield did its job as well past keeping rounds exactly where I was aiming.
Concealability
The length of the barrel is almost ¼ inch shorter than the Glock I am used to conveying, and so that's helpful. Where I was actually happy was the width of the grip. Losing most ¼ of an inch in width makes information technology fit a little nicer in my waistband.
The grip of the Performance Center Ported Chiliad&P ix is a petty longer than the Glock 27 when they both accept the standard magazines.
By the Numbers
Ergonomics: 4.five/five
Overall, I like the feel of the Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield. The grip is a skillful size for the gun. The molded texture in the grip helps a lot, but doesn't dig into your mitt like the texture on the grips of other manufacturers guns.
The weight of the Smith & Wesson is pretty evenly balanced, even when information technology's unloaded.
Accuracy v/5
Judging by my beginning shot being and then close, I will say everything lines up pretty well out of the box. It took a few more than rounds for me to get over the shock of the beginning shot, simply later that the rounds were landing pretty close where I was aiming.
Reliability 5/5
I can't determine for myself how reliable the Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield is over the long term, only I ran 50 rounds through it and didn't have any malfunctions.
I used Blazer Brass for the test hoping I might go a malfunction because it was the least expensive ammo on the shelf. (The range didn't allow steel example.)
Customization: five/5
With the ported barrel and slide and better trigger, I can say it hits nigh of the things I would remember to alter. Something I would alter out is the sights. They didn't practise it for me and I would have something more reliable if I needed to use the gun to defend myself.
Looks five/5
I similar the expect and feel of the Performance Center Ported M&P9 Shield. The ported slide gives information technology a neat appearance.
Price 3/5
When the Shield start appeared it was listed at $519 and gradually went down from there. However if you really desire to choice up an OG Shield you'll have to go to secondary markets.
The package I tested included the gun and two magazines, but I've seen other packages that also include a flashlight and a knife.
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at Guns.com
Prices authentic at time of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Conclusion
The Performance Middle G&P Shield is designed with concealed acquit in heed. The unmarried-stack frame'due south comfortable and detached, with smashing aesthetics and awesome reliability. If you lot're looking for a pocket pistol, this isn't for you, but if you want something that has your back without breaking information technology, the Thou&P Shield is it.
I thought this was a great choice for someone who would like a "sportier" gun than what you lot would get if you bought an entry level model. South&W is good at making guns that are a footstep above the basic model for those who want a petty more functioning.
The features I liked by far outweigh the things I didn't.
When I got a chance to shoot this gun, I was pretty excited. It'southward one that I've wanted to shoot for a while. a few people I know have this is there CCW selection and beloved it; and information technology didn't disappoint.
If y'all are one of those people who like to accept something just a little bit better than the stock model, the Performance Center model might be right up your alley.
Still…we still highly recommend you look at other Micro 9mm Compacts and the Shield Plus.
439
at Kygunco
Prices authentic at fourth dimension of writing
Prices accurate at time of writing
Source: https://www.pewpewtactical.com/smith-wesson-performance-center-mp-shield-review/
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